


Sweet Like Chocolate

by GreyFantasies (AthenaHart)



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, How Do I Tag, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:54:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26443753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AthenaHart/pseuds/GreyFantasies
Summary: The Warrior of Light visits Aymeric's home, and her friend has sent a gift for the visit.
Relationships: Aymeric de Borel/Warrior of Light
Kudos: 9





	Sweet Like Chocolate

**Author's Note:**

> WoL is my Vieran character Arkana, she has a habit of making prank snacks, this time it backfired...  
> Wanted to write a smut but Aymeric is the goodest boi, so maybe next time

Arkana stood at the precipice of the Lord Commander's home, the sky fading to a deep, rich blue. The woman stood tall, her gloved hands rubbing together intermingling with her hot breath catching in the chill of the Ishgardian evening. Her thigh boots and thick furred coat gave an air of nobility about the woman, however, her silver eyes betrayed her true nervous nature, side-eyeing strangers that traversed the cobbled path.

  
At long last, a servant answered the door. Arkana was glad to step out from the street where flurries of snowflakes had begun to settle into her wild mess of hair. Her nose wrinkled as the snow tried to claim it.

  
"Mistress Grey, do step inside," the servant invited Arkana. Woad blue wallpaper with silver sigils printed repeatedly decorated the Lord Commander's hallway. Rich mahogany furniture decorated the edges of the corridor, polished so much that reflections of the wallpaper could be seen within the surface. The Viera dare not look in case she could see her own face staring back in fright.

  
"Ah, my guest has arrived," stated a familiar voice. Aymeric de Borel came into sight through a doorway, his usual blue and black armour this evening replaced with a thick black coat donned often by the Ishgardian houses and nobility. "Do come inside and make yourself comfortable."

  
Arkana gave a weak smile, undermined by her own nerves to be inside the Lord Commander's private home. It mustn’t have been easy to make time to see her. How many days had she had spent within the Firmament without seeing him once? Even Hilda had visited, bringing with her a message from Aymeric. But full glad she was to finally see his face, especially after all the madness in the First.

  
The servant helped Arkana remove her furs and carried them away, leaving her in the softly lit hallway of candlelight. She hugged herself, but not from the bitter chill of Ishgard. Cautiously she followed the sound of Aymeric scuffing around the woodwork in his drawing-room.

  
"Come inside, we won't be bothered here," the man warmly smiled toward his friend and stood straight, clearly trying to mask whatever last-minute preparations he was making the moment before. The room itself was filled with a fireplace, two long fabric couches, and a wooden sideboard.

  
The smile disarmed Arkana — Twelve, she'd forgotten how beautiful and charming this man could be — and she took herself to the largest couch. "It's an honour to be invited at all."

  
"The honour is all mine! The Hero of Ishgard, once more in my home. ‘Tis a shame we could not do this sooner." Aymeric sat to the couch beside her, with only the sideboard between them and an array of items on top: an unopened bottle of Coerthan rosé, two sparkling wine glasses, and finally but most curiously, a small paper package in the shape of a box tray.

  
Arkana nodded in agreement to Aymeric’s sentiment. The days she had spent in the Firmament she kept the daydream of seeing Aymeric firmly in her mind as she sewed, often adopting a look on her face that would prompt other crafters to query what man (or woman) had captured her fancy. To admit it was the Lord Commander was not on her priority list, so she would simply shake her head and smile at them, rebounding their questions with a question of her own.

  
"If I remember rightly, the last time I visited our meal was somewhat interrupted."

  
"Ah, yes," said Aymeric. "Twas a shame that evening was cut short. That was a long time ago now. You've since travelled to the East and even another world, from what I've heard." Aymeric uncorked the bottle of wine and filled the two empty glasses.

  
"So you heard about that," said Arkana.

  
"One must keep up with their favourite adventurer somehow," Aymeric said with a look in his eyes. Mischief? Wistfulness? Envy? "It's not too difficult to find out such information with Estinien roaming around."

  
Arkana mused to herself with a hum. This meeting seemed more intimate than the last, as she recalled watching a servant pour the drinks and fighting off her anxieties of poisoning. After pouring the wine, Aymeric held out the glass for Arkana to take. She removed her gloves and lay them on the arm of the couch and eagerly took the wine.

  
“I also have this. A gift from one of your friends, it seems.” Aymeric took the paper parcel in his hands and began to unwrap it.

  
“Which friend?” The Viera’s ears stood tall and alert.

“Devrin. I had your friendship confirmed before taking the gift, of course. No need to worry about anything sinister.”

  
“Then you don’t know him very well.” She eyed the parcel suspiciously as the Lord Commander unwrapped the gift, knowing full well that Devrin and herself had a habit of squabbling and being petty toward each other. She recalled mentioning the meeting to Devrin and hoped it was a gift of kindness rather than a gift of misery.

  
“Your friend has sent us chocolate. I wonder what you said to him for him to send this?”

  
“I only told him I was visiting, nothing else at all!” Arkana fumed.

  
Aymeric simply laughed at the woman as her face flushed a subtle shade of red against her olive skin. He held the box of chocolates to offer her a choice, and in the brief moment that her own nerves gripped her, she quickly took the chocolate without a second thought. Aymeric quickly followed suit, though seemingly more relaxed than Arkana.

  
“Wait,” she said, realization dawning on her after swallowing the treat. “These were from Devrin?”

  
Aymeric nodded as he finished swallowing his own chocolate, eyebrow quirked in curiosity. Arkana paled, her eyes growing wide, pupils shrinking as she realized what had just happened.  
“I am so sorry,” she said, burying her face in the hands.

  
“Whatever are you sorry for? These chocolates are delicious!” A boy-like smile smeared across his face as he relished in the taste. Arkana had no reply, all she could do was stand quick and shut the door to the room, hoping no one would have to experience the madness that was about to ensue.

  
As Arkana stood, so did Aymeric. “Is everything okay?”

  
“Twelve, where do I even begin?” Arkana was only mildly panicking. “I’m afraid we’ve been pranked. These chocolates are not ordinary…” She could barely finish the sentence without the magick interrupting. She felt her last sane and responsible thought leave her head as if it were floating on a breeze out through her ear.

  
“What do you mean?” Aymeric came closer to Arkana, setting his hands on her arms to try and calm her from the spontaneous breakdown. She made a weak attempt to push him away, only to succumb to the magick of the chocolate and instead grabbed onto his coat and pulled close. Somewhat baffled, all the Lord Commander could do was wrap his arms around her and look puzzled.

  
“Twelve, you smell good,” said Arkana. She would smack her head against a wall later when she remembered this.

  
“Why, thank you…” Aymeric was alert now and tried to tear the Viera from his chest.

  
“Let’s sit down, dear. I’m sure you have many stories to tell me since I departed.” Arkana looked up, silver eyes sparkling with desire. She dragged the man by his hand back to the couch and tugged him down next to her. He sat as directed, cheeks turning pink, not being used to the attention of a woman in this way, let alone Arkana. His confusion deepened as she nestled herself onto his shoulder and pulled his arm around her.

  
“Stories...?” Aymeric mused. “I’ve mostly been governing Ishgard, parlaying the opposing men and women at odds with each other. I’m sure your stories are far more fascinating than mine…” He trailed off as Arkana’s fingers walked up his arm and toward his neck. He caught the box of chocolates in the corner of his eye. “What has your good friend done to you?”

  
“Me?” Arkana chuckled. “But we both ate one, dear.”

  
Aymeric blinked. “I feel no different. You, on the other hand, seem to have taken on another mood entirely.”

  
“That’s the charm of these chocolates,” she purred. “I make them sometimes, to sew a little chaos…”

  
“Chaos? Your adventures are not satisfying you as of late, then?”

  
“My dear, you know how dreadfully boring those head of state meetings can be. Don’t you grow weary of it all at times, too?”

  
Aymeric focused on the Viera, and for the first time in a long time, saw something all too familiar there. “Yes, I dare say I do.”

  
“If I recall you didn’t even want to be responsible for Ishgard. They voted you in, your people.”

  
“When you say it that way, it sounds like I am a prisoner.”

  
“Aren’t you?” Arkana was now stroking his cheek under the chocolate’s influence.

  
“I am not a prisoner, I am proud of my duty.” Aymeric gently took her hand and put it back in her lap.

  
“Of course you are, dear. But secretly you want to be like me, roaming the world, experiencing it rather than governing it. Am I wrong?”

  
Aymeric was taken aback, but his face dropped. “A confession of sorts. Yes, there is a part of me that yearns for it.” Yearned to be with her, at her side.

  
“Then why not take it?” Her hand betrayed her again and reached for his chin. Aymeric’s eye grew wide at how straightforward this woman was being.

“Arkana…” he took the hand again but this time held it so that it couldn’t wander off again. “I think perhaps you haven’t told me entirely what these chocolates do.”

  
“Didn’t I?” She blinked. “They inspire love and affection for half a bell. I was feeling particularly mischievous that day,” she chuckled to herself.

  
“Ah, I see.” His face dropped a little at the realization. None of this was real.

  
Arkana tilted her head, her ears twitched a little. “Don’t be sad, my dear. It seems you are immune to the effect, which quite frankly is unheard of. Perhaps you have a lucky charm, hm?”

  
“No one has been immune?” Aymeric shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

  
Arkana’s other rogue hand was free and she tapped his nose. “Not a single person.” She was too far under the influence to realize what this truly meant.

  
The Lord Commander grimaced a little, worried that his secret may have just outed itself. Luckily the object of his affections didn’t even seem to blink at the statement.

  
“Halone knows what you’ve been up to with these chocolates,” Aymeric grimaced at the tray of sweets on his table.

  
“You think so poorly of me! I don’t consume them, others take delight in them. I am well aware of what discord they are capable of…” She edged ever closer to the man, against the better judgement of some small voice in her head pleading her to leave the house immediately.

  
“How long does this last for, normally? Is it permanent?”

  
“Oh no, dear. Half a bell is enough time to cause mayhem,” she chuckled.

  
Aymeric looked at the clock and looked dismayed as he realized that most of the time frame remained. What was he going to do with her in this manner whilst keeping intact both of their dignities?

  
With one hand in the Lord Commander’s and her other hand roaming against her better judgement, Arkana grabbed his shoulder and turned to face him, hoisting herself to straddle him with a coy smile. Aymeric tried to back away, but all he could do was sink deeper into the couch.

  
“Arkana, please—“

  
She placed a finger on his lips to hush him before letting out a musical laugh.

  
“Don’t worry, dear, I am no voidsent. I won’t bite.” She pulled her skirt up around to her waist so she could straddle the man comfortably. She leaned toward him knowing her cleavage was on show. She puckered her lips and closed her eyes—

  
“Jaurrex!” Aymeric called with panic rising in his tone. By Halone he didn’t want to ruin Arkana’s reputation but he had to do something. She would never do this if she were sober. Aymeric acted quickly, holding her legs around him as he stood so that she would not go tumbling backwards into the table, but he could not avoid the crashing of crystal onto the floor as Arkana’s wine glass shattered.

  
“Ser?” The manservant came to the room quickly looking concerned, gripping a polished cane in his hand. He had not expected his master to sound so shrill when he was merely entertaining a guest, and the Warrior of Light no less! When he looked around the scene, his face turned from concern to confusion — glass shattered on the floor, the Warrior of Light wrapped around Aymeric’s torso trying to nibble his neck, a profusely sweaty Lord Commander looking at his manservant with pleading eyes.

  
“Can I help you with anything, Lord Commander?”

  
“Jaurrex, I am afraid Mistress Arkana is not well. Someone has sent a gift to the house that has turned the Warrior of Light to madness.” As he spoke he tried to wade through the room with Arkana still gripped onto him. He tried his best to reach his face and neck from the woman as he made way to the door.

  
“I see… What would you like me to do, Ser?”

  
Aymeric took a moment to think. He had hoped that Jaurrex would have a suggestion. “Perhaps prepare a guest room. Preferably with a lock.”

  
“You’re taking me to bed already?” Arkana asked, fluttering her eyelashes.

  
Jaurrex looked astonished.

  
“A lock to keep her inside while the effects wear off, that is! I won’t be in there with her in this state,” he tried to correct himself.

  
“Ah, very good, Ser.” Jaurrex nodded and scolded himself in his thoughts for even contemplating his good master to take advantage of a woman under the influence.

  
“But the night is young!” Arkana protested.

  
Aymeric tried to remove the woman from his torso, but her grip was tight and showed no sign of letting go any time soon. He groaned as he climbed the stairs of the townhouse, each step his legs feeling heavier and heavier, until at least they reached the second floor. A small corridor of dark wooden doors stood before them. Jaurrex took out a collection of keys and placed one inside the closest door and turned with a click. The door creaked open, and a modest guest room was opened to them. A double bed with posters and curtains, a small wooden dresser, and a cushioned armchair welcomed the party.

  
The Lord Commander took the last steps to the bed, Arkana still protesting and glued to him. He turned to his manservant. “I may need your help,” she said through clenched teeth.

  
Jaurrex nodded and came forward, also assisting with the removal of the young woman from his master. Aymeric held Arkana and dipped down to the bed so that her back would lay against the mattress, and Jaurrex peeled the mistress’ legs from Aymeric.

  
With one last tug, Arkana fell off her love and hit the mattress with a soft thud. Aymeric fell with her from the change of weight around him. His groan was muffled by Arkana’s wild mess of hair. All she could do was laugh and try to hold him again, her cheeks flushed pink. Realising what was about to happen, Aymeric scrambled to get up and away from the woman, but not before she cupped his face and planted a kiss on his lips!

Halone, how conflicted he was!

  
Jaurrex, the good and obedient manservant, took Aymeric’s shoulders and pulled, Jaurrex and his master flying backwards from the bed. Arkana sat up on her knees and looked like a puppy who’s master had left them for the day.

  
“Quickly, Ser,” exclaimed Jaurrex. The two men hurried out of the room and closed the door before Arkana could follow. Jaurrex quickly put the key back into the lock and turned it the other way with another click.

  
“By Halone…” gasped Aymeric as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

  
“I did not anticipate the Warrior of Light to be strong, but I should have known better… Quite the impressive thigh grip she has,” said Jaurrex.

  
The sound of the door beating behind them interrupted their conversation. “Let me out!” Arkana cried on the other side.

  
Aymeric felt conflicted, not wanting to lock the woman away but also knowing he could not deal with that.

  
“In a bell, Arkana, when you sober and feel more like yourself. It’s for your own good.”

  
The Warrior of Light kept banging on the door as Aymeric and Jaurrex made their way back downstairs to the drawing-room to investigate the damage left by the unsuccessful night.

  
The manservant took the tray of chocolates in one hand, and the wine in his other. “Which was spiked, Ser?”

  
“The chocolates. Arkana said that they were a prank gifted by her friend, though she realized it too late. Her own concoction, no less.”

  
Jaurrex eyebrows reached all the way to the ceiling. “The Warrior of Light takes pleasure in this chaos?”

  
Aymeric chuckled, “I can see why it might be entertaining in some instances. Yes, it appears so.”

  
The manservant gave a disapproving ‘hm’ and started to clean the broken glass on the floor. “How long will the Warrior of Light be this way?”

  
“Half a bell, she said. Better to wait for the whole bell, just in case…” Aymeric too began to help the man clear the room as they waited for the time to pass.

Jaurrex rapped his knuckles on the wooden door to the guest room. “Is the mistress feeling well?”

A groan was all heard from the other side — no protesting or giggling, at long last. “Enter.”

  
The manservant stood tall and opened the door. Arkana was lying on the bed covering her face from the candlelight, her lips downturned in misery.

  
“The Lord Commander is ready to receive you now.”

  
“That may be the case, but I don’t think I will ever be ready to receive him again, let alone look at him,” moaned Arkana.

  
“I am sure the Warrior of Light has faced worse things, has she not?” Jaurrex chuckled to himself. He was not expecting to counsel the fiercest warrior in Eorzea this evening.

  
Arkana rubbed her face and sat up. “I suppose…” She stood and a deep, mournful sigh escaped her. “I am so sorry for… that. I will be out of your hair soon enough.”

  
Jaurrex gestured to the doorway and led Arkana back down the stairs to the drawing-room. The woman hovered on the precipice. “I would rather just leave if that's okay.”

  
Aymeric appeared in the door frame, his face turning the deepest shade of pink capable of such a man upon seeing Arkana back to her usual sober self. She too flushed with embarrassment and closed her eyes. “I am so sorry!”

  
“Do not fret, it is all forgiven.” Aymeric held her leather gloves out. Arkana reached out and took them, her face burning up once more when their hands touched in the exchange. She took them and inclined her head respectfully before quickly turning and walked quickly down the corridor. She yanked her coat from the standing post, shrugged it on, and left without another word.

  
“Wait!” Aymeric called before the Warrior of Light opened the looming door and ran out into the night. The Lord Commander and his manservant could only stand and watch her leave feeling slightly ashamed.

  
“Well then, that went terribly.”

  
“Indeed, Ser.”

  
“At least she didn’t realize…” Aymeric stopped himself before he finished that sentence.

  
“Realize what, Ser?”

  
“Nothing. It’s nothing.” He took the chocolates and threw them into the lit fireplace. “Nothing at all.”


End file.
